title: Acute, life-threatening complications of lung transplantation.
abstract: Acute, life-threatening complications of lung transplantation are common in all reported series. The clinical courses and images of 70 patients who underwent heart-lung (n = 5), bilateral sequential lung (n = 31), or single-lung (n = 38) transplantation were retrospectively reviewed. Sixty-five acute, life-threatening complications occurred in 26 patients (37%) within 3 months after transplantation. Nine deaths occurred as a result of these complications for a mortality rate due to acute complications of 13%. The deaths were a result of bleeding (n = 4), sepsis (n = 2), severe acute rejection and adult respiratory distress syndrome (n = 1), multiorgan failure (n = 1), and diffuse alveolar damage and respiratory failure (n = 1), a distribution of causes similar to those in other reported series. Specific diagnoses that can be made with imaging include hemothorax, lung torsion, pneumomediastinum, pulmonary embolism, pneumothorax, bronchial anastomotic dehiscence, lung collapse, paralysis of the diaphragm, and sternal dehiscence.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison 53792-3252, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Kuhlman
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Love
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D016040:Lung Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000401:mortality; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality; D011184:Postoperative Period; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed